

- #Living with a spinal cord stimulator generator#
- #Living with a spinal cord stimulator skin#
- #Living with a spinal cord stimulator trial#

#Living with a spinal cord stimulator trial#
The first is a trial run to ensure we’ve targeted the right area, and if it’s successful in relieving your pain, we implant the electrodes and battery pack in the second procedure. To implant the spinal cord stimulator, we need to go through two procedures. Once in position, the stimulator generates electrical impulses that disrupt the pain signaling between your spinal cord and your brain.
#Living with a spinal cord stimulator skin#
The stimulator relies on electrodes, which we place in your epidural space, and a generator, which we place under your skin around your abdomen or buttocks. As well, we may recommend a spinal cord stimulator to treat pain that still persists postsurgically. Most people turn to a spinal cord stimulator after exhausting all of their nonsurgical treatment options, such as medications, physical therapy, and alternative therapies. If you’re unfamiliar with a spinal cord stimulator, let’s take a moment to quickly review this innovative approach to managing chronic pain. Here’s a look at what life is like with a spinal cord stimulator. If you’ve exhausted many of them, a spinal cord stimulator may be the solution you’ve been looking for. Do Chan and Boris Shwartzman head up a team of pain management specialists that offers a wide range of treatment options for chronic pain. If you’re contemplating turning to a spinal cord stimulator to address your pain, there are a few things you should know about life with such a device.Īt Comprehensive Pain Management, Drs.
#Living with a spinal cord stimulator generator#
Fewer pulse generator replacements will also decrease patient discomfort and morbidity from procedural complications.Millions of Americans spend their days trying to find the best treatment option for their chronic pain, and many have found relief in the form of a spinal cord stimulator. Among all of the assumptions underlying the analysis, the annual cost after device removal contributes the most uncertainty.Ī rechargeable SCS system is projected to save up to $100,000 over a patient's lifetime. In all of the one-way sensitivity analyses conducted, a rechargeable system saves money. The total lifetime savings of a rechargeable system range from $104,000 to $168,833.

Input parameters for the base case analysis were obtained from several data sources including published literature, Medicare fee schedules, Medicare claims data, and expert opinion.Ī rechargeable SCS system is projected to require from 2.6 to 4.2 fewer battery generator replacements for battery depletion than a non-rechargeable SCS system.

The study objective is to estimate the average difference in lifetime costs between rechargeable and non-rechargeable pulse generators used in treatment with SCS for failed back surgery syndrome.Ī generalized state-transition probability framework was used to model costs. The potential economic implications of longer battery life with a new SCS system has yet to be assessed. A new SCS system with a rechargeable power source may last 10 to 25 years, or longer. Fully implantable non-rechargeable pulse generators have a battery life of between 2 and 5 years. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has been used for almost 40 years to treat refractory neuropathic pain after failed back surgery.
